Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences

UvA chemists presented their research to business companies

During the Amsterdam edition of the ‘Innovation Tour’ on 23 March Veni fellow Ties Korstanje and PhD student Henrik Cornelisson van de Ven presented their research to chemistry oriented entrepreneurs.

The ‘Innovation Tour’ was organised by Innovatielink in collaboration with UvA's technology transfer office IXA and Innovation Lab Chemistry Amsterdam (ILCA). Participants were chemists from various companies, ranging from Linde gas to Vintisit and from Kisuma chemicals to VO patents. Project Manager Dr Soraya Sluijter from ILCA (offering labs, offices, facilities, knowledge and a valuable network to chemical companies) guided the visitors around Amsterdam Science Park.

Innovative research

At Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Veni-fellow Ties Korstanje and PhD student Henrik Cornelisson van de Ven presented their research.The Veni work of Ties on the conversion of lignin to useful drop-in chemicals received a lot of interest. Henrik presented an analytical solution or innovation ready for each visiting SME. Finally, Sander Kluwer, CEO of HIMS spin-off company InCatT explained how his company reduces the search time for a suitable catalyst and corresponding conditions from one year to one week.

After a tour through the laboratories of the university and the building of Matrix Innovation Center, which offers housing to over 120 companies at the Science Park, the group headed to the other side of the city in an old-fashioned school bus. There, in the Westpoort port area, they visited Prodock.

Scale-up facility

Prodock is a scale-up facility and launchpad for companies related to Energy, Biobased & Circular Economy, Safety & Surveillance and/or Logistics. When entering the hangar of Prodock, the smell of citrus and the essential oils that PeelPioneers is extracting from orange waste, could not be missed. The start-up PeelPioneers was founded by chemistry student Sietze van Stempvoort and still has strong ties with HIMS. It would not be a surprise if interesting collaborative research projects will follow.